October 3, 2008

Endorsement of EESD Measure T

By Jim Zito
President, District 8 Community Round Table - D8CRT
Special to the Times

As a broad community based organization char-tered to improve the quality of life for all district residents, the District 8 Com-munity Round Table (D8CRT) wholeheartedly endorses, and urges all Evergreen Elementary School District (EESD) residents to vote for Measure T.

Over the last 6 years, members of the D8CRT have joined busloads of community leaders and concerned residents, making a yearly daylong pilgrimage to Sacramento to meet with State legislators and the Governor's cabinet members. The purpose of this trip was to appeal to legislators to pass a budget necessary to adequately fund public classroom education for our K thru 12 students.

Each year it became more evident that our State Government would not be providing the necessary funds to meet the minimum mandates for improving academic scores, maintaining class size reduction, funding the arts, or ensuring safe and secure classrooms and campuses.

To meet this yearly challenge, the EESD has made careful, well-informed decisions to manage their budget and provide the best possible education their underfunded budgets could provide. As a result, the EESD schools have consistently provided a high quality education and scored high on State test results.

In order to provide high quality education for our children, Measure T asks each homeowner for a 5-year, $90/yr investment in the future of our children. This money will preserve class size reduction, reintroduce music and arts into the classroom, enhance the math and science curriculum and ensure a safe education environment. When you think of it, this amounts to about $1.75 per week!

So, for the cost of a simple cup of coffee, or driving an average of 10 miles less per week (5 miles if you own an SUV!) you can invest in the future of our children, im-proving the education they receive, reducing the influence of gangs, curbing the need for police services and positively impacting home values.

We can think of no better way to spend $1.75 a week. We urge you to join us in supporting Measure T.